February / March 2022 Newsletter Edition

  President's Corner: 

     As winter begins to fade and we enjoy the occasional warm, sunny days that hint of spring, your Association's Board of Directors is gearing up for another productive year working on your behalf.  Our first Board meeting of the new year was held on Feb. 9, with the virtual meeting format a start reminder that we are still not back to normal.  

     We have all been dealing with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic for two years now, and we are tired of it all. I am hopeful that we will soon be able to resume our normal lives, but I am concerned about the ill effects of a perceived weakening of the usually keen camaraderie and sense of community in Stratford Manor. 

    I am extremely proud of the fact that our Directors have remained committed to volunteering their efforts throughout these tough times.  But it takes more than nine individuals to achieve our common objectives. 

    We have adopted our goals for 2022, and every Board member has a part to play in reaching those in this new year. 

    But we need your help. Many owners who have previously expressed support for the Board’s new Declaration—our proposed  new core governing document—have not followed through by signing the resolution form. 

     We have roughly three-quarters of the required 101 owner votes, but the last 25-30 votes is our biggest challenge. If you agree that restoring our sense of community is important to all owners, then please help us get there by signing the Declaration resolution. If you don’t have the form, see any Board member..                                         

    Meanwhile, our Infrastructure Committee is working closely with our consulting engineer and  contractor to come up with a revised plan to get our parking lots and roads repaved (See story below). 

    Also, a newly formed Social Media Committee is working on creating a Facebook page that will allow our owners to communicate with their neighbors, as well as give the Board immediate feedback on its actions. If you are experienced with Facebook and want to help us create something truly transformative, please email the Board at stratfordnn@gmail.com.

    Regardless of your area of expertise, we could use your help on one or more committees. Please consider joining us to help keep Stratford Manor a terrific place to live.<

    - John Gullett, President 

                                                                                                           

  Next step in repaving may involve drilling test holes:

    Bob Lucas, chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, told Directors at their Feb. 9 Board meeting that the search for a solution to the unstable-soil problem in the community’s parking lots and roads may involve having test holes drilled in several strategic spots to see how extensive the problem may be. 

    “We are waiting for a proposal, including cost estimates, for testing our soil,” said Mr. Lucas. “With luck, we may find that some sections are stable and we can proceed in those areas with repaving. If there are more areas with unstable soil, affordability becomes the main concern. Stay tuned.” 

    The soil issue surfaced late last year when Basic Construction tore up the old asphalt in the parking lots on Kenilworth Drive and upper Wellesley Drive. Some $53,000 of additional expense was needed to stabilize the soil before repaving could be done.<

 

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 Trash pickup Schedule* 

 Feb. 23—Trash only (Wednesday pickup due to holiday); Mar. 1-- Recycling, bulk pickup & trash.

 Mar. 8—Trash only; Mar. 15— Recycling, bulk pickup & trash.

 Mar. 22—Trash only;  March 29— Recycling, bulk pickup & trash.

 April 5—Trash only; April 12— Recycling, bulk pickup & trash.

*Trash and recycling receptacles should be curbside no earlier than 3 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup. Bulk trash may be put out the weekend before the scheduled collection. If your

container is missed call 757-933-2311 within 24 hours.

 

Stratford Manor is going modern with Facebook site: 

    The SMA Board  voted  on Feb. 9 to join the social media camp with a first-ever presence on Facebook—a group site that will speed communications to and from the Association and allow owners to talk with each other. 

        Prior to its decision to move ahead with plans for a Facebook Group, the Board elected Frances Hodges chairperson of the newly created Social Media Committee. She then presented the Board with a set of initial guidelines for developing the proposed site. After considerable discussion, she and newly elected committee members Donna Groller and Katie Johnston received the Board’s blessing to proceed with establishing a Facebook group for the Association and its member-owners.  

        “The exact format and contents of this Facebook presence are still in the developmental stage,” said Ms. Hodges. “But we are very excited about the prospects of having an active community site exclusively for Stratford Manor owners. “ She said the site will be private (only Stratford Manor owners allowed in), and managed by Committee members for adherence to content standards. 

     “This will not replace Abbitt’s role in handling complaints about individual owners, ”Ms. Hodges noted, “or any other responsibilities Abbitt currently has. We are merely offering an opportunity for Stratford Manor owners to be able to speak directly to the Board and to fellow owners.” 

    She added that the Committee is looking for additional residents to help develop and manage the SMA’s technology-related services. The Committee will also assume responsibility for the SMA’s web site, which is available for downloading forms, rules, and other information useful to owners. Details of the new program will be announced to owners as soon as they are finalized.<

 

Board affirms plans for spring inspections in April: 

    In case there was any doubt, the SMA Board voted recently to have Abbitt Management conduct its annual spring inspections in April—an opportunity for Stratford Manor owners to find out what exterior repairs need to be done to remain in compliance with Association standards. 

    “In light of the unusual circumstances we find ourselves in these days,” said President John Gullett, “board members discussed whether to skip this annual ritual. But we concluded that the benefits of having these annual inspections far outweigh other issues.” Among other things, he noted, it can inspire many of us to get out of our winter slump and go outside to check on the condition of our roofs, shutters, sheds, and other exterior features,” said Mr. Gullett.  He added that “We all know that keeping our townhomes looking sharp and clean benefits the entire community, and makes us all feel proud to live here—and even helps property values. This spring ritual is essential to making all that possible.” 

    A detailed checklist of what the Abbitt inspectors look for can be found on our website at stratfordmanornn.blogspot.com <

 

Stratford Manor News Briefs: 

    Frequent forecasts of snow keep Stratford Manor’s Storm Watchers busy—Nancy Allen, Landscaping Committee Chair, and Year-Round Landscaping stood guard together through much of January, trying to second guess Mother Nature as one winter storm after another swept up the Eastern U.S. coast. “We started following each storm nearly a week before it was forecast to arrive,” said Ms. Allen, “and usually they would fizzle out a day or two before they were scheduled to hit us. But the snowfall that we got in mid-January was one that called for a full snow-removal crew.”

    Thanks to all that planning, Ms. Allen was able to quickly confer with President John Gullett and reserve YRL’s crew for a quick clean-up--on a Saturday--while most of YRL’s other clients had to wait. It was the first time in four years that the Association had to arrange for snow removal, an infrequency that is a blessing considering the high cost of each clean-up (nearly $4,000 for this one). 

    Still another storm was forecast for the following weekend, but YRL worked closely with the Association up to the last minute—having to rent a Bobcat but cancelling the work crew that Saturday morning after seeing little snow or ice. “Because of the cost, not everyone agreed with our decision to call out the clean-up crew earlier,” said Mr. Gullett. “But we felt an obligation to make it safe for our owners to be able to walk to their cars as soon as possible after the storm ended.” 

    Landscapers prep for spring—For our landscaping service, February is a month in transition. YRL is about to conduct its final leaf pickup of the winter—focusing on cleaning out flower beds and other common areas so that new mulch can be put down. The mulching will continue into March, while YRL is already performing its annual task of cutting back the crepe myrtles and various tall grasses. 

    “Contrary to rumors, the various tall grasses planted on the Sloane island last year are only dormant, not dead,” said Landscaping Committee Chair Nancy Allen. “The only fatality from last year’s drought was the fescue grass. And YRL is going to reseed that area at its own expense.” 

    Reminder: Owners must get approval prior to making exterior changes—If you are thinking of changing the color of your shutters or other elements of your exterior as you go about improving the appearance of your townhome ahead of the spring inspections, remember to submit an Architectural Review Application to Abbitt before proceeding with the work. The same goes for any other exterior work. 

    The application form may be downloaded from our website at stratfordmanornnblogspot.com. While at the website, check out the Exterior Painting Guide, which contains information on such things as when you neeod to seek approval, what colors you can choose from, and where you can get a good deal on paint.<

NOTE:  Next Board Meeting is scheduled for April 13, 2022 at 5:30 p.m.  Meetings are held virtual via Zoom.  All are welcome to attend.

 

 

 

 

 

December 2021/January 2022

President’s Corner  

As the year draws to a close, it’s a natural impulse to look back on the previous 12 months and reflect on our experiences at work and at home. Hopefully, your looking back brings you smiles and feelings of gratitude and satisfaction.

In Stratford Manor, those of us who volunteer our services to the community  tend to measure some of our satisfaction over the past year on what the HOA has managed to accomplish on behalf of all owners. Have we been successful in balancing homeowner rights with the needs of the community? Have we been consistent in our treatment of issues, regardless of which owners are involved? Have we been transparent enough to earn and retain owner support for what we are doing? Those are questions only you can answer.

But I do know that I am proud of our Board’s Directors and how conscientious and fair they insist on being. Some Board meetings may seem to our visitors like a heated argument. But that’s what happens sometimes when you feel passionate about something that’s going to affect the community. It’s never personal, and it always results in a better outcome.

Personally, I am very satisfied with the progress we made in 2021 in tackling the goals the Board adopted last December.  A massive project to repave our entire community hit a snag late in the year with unexpected foundation issues. But we had successes as well.

For instance, we managed to get curbs and sidewalks repaired to eliminate trip hazards, we beautified the large median in the Sloane neighbood, we eliminated or trimmed trees that posed a danger to homes, and we treated homeowner requests with an eye toward satisfying their needs instead of enforcing unnecessarily strict rules.

At the same time, we continued to be reminded of the value of having Abbitt as our property manager. Not only do they expertly handle our financial accounting needs and investments, but they also are a reservoir of great knowledge of current state laws and best practices by the many other associations under their management. Abbitt’s professional guidance and support to the Board is invaluable, whether it’s sending out meeting notices and annual meeting materials, preparing resale packages to townhome buyers, collecting and processing Association payments or conducting spring inspections of our properties.

When we wanted to hire a new contractor for our tree work earlier this year,  Abbitt researched and certified R & K, making them an approved vendor we could rely on. When one our HOA’s main sewer lines got clogged up and caused a backup in two owners’ bathtubs one night recently, Abbitt’s 24-hour on-call service contacted a plumber and got the problem corrected immediately.

Regardless of the homeowner’s problem or request, Abbitt serves as the point of contact and makes certain each inquiry is resolved.  With Abbitt’s help, your Board is primed and ready to tackle the challenges of 2022. We hope you all have a successful new year as well.                                            

                                                                                                                             -- John Gullett, President

Repaving work stalls after two parking lots; unstable soil blamed

The SMA’s plans to repave the entire Stratford Manor community were derailed when the contractor, Basic Construction, removed the old asphalt at the large Kenilworth lot and a small lot on Wellesley and discovered that the subsoil underneath was not stable enough to support the weight of vehicles. This required a halt to the work while a sub contractor specializing in soil stabilization came in and created a foundation that provided the needed stability.

Bob Lucas, Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, said the additional expense incurred with the soil stablization brought the paving work  to a halt until various options could be received and evaluated. “We weren’t budgeted for this,” said Lucas, “so we will be drawing up a new plan just as soon as we clarify what our options are.” When a new plan is adopted, owners will be notified.

Meanwhile, the Board  is working with the SMA’s engineering consultant to resolve some issues with the repaving work done thus far.

New Board member takes seat; 2022 goals adopted

The SMA Board included a new face when it met for its 2022 organizational meeting in early December, and got an early start on planning for its projects and priorities in the new year.

Madoline Wallace, of 143 Wellesley, took her seat at the virtual table (via Zoom) after being elected to the Board for a three-year term at the Nov. 17 Annual Owners’ Meeting. She succeeded Katie Johnston, who had completed her term and moved out of Stratford Manor.  In addition, three other Board members were reelected. They are Betty Blackburn, of 178 Wellesley, who was named to the remaining two years of an unexpired term, and Bob Lucas, 156 Wellesley, and Nancy Allen, 172 Wellesley, who were both elected to new three-year terms. (See News Briefs on Page 4 for more Board appointments).

The Board wasted no time in adopting its new goals for 2022. “These are important elements in our effort to remain focused on the most important items throughout the year,” explained President John Gullett.  The 11 goals include implementing a revised master plan for repaving the community’s roads and parking lots, getting the remaining 25 or so votes for the new Declaration, and conducting a comprehensive review of our landscaping practices.

“Some owners have been asking about our 2021 goal of developing a policy on rental units,” Mr. Gullett noted. “That had to be put on the back burner because we fell short of getting the votes needed to adopt our new Declaration. It remains a priority goal in 2022, but only after we have this new governing document in place. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to make it official.”

The Board also wants to better utilize technology in 2022 to improve communications with owners.  “This is a very challenging goal for our Board,” said Mr. Gullett, “since we need someone with the expertise to revamp our website and help us create an interactive platform for owners to communicate with the Board and other owners. We lost our webmaster when Katie Johnson left, so we need to fill that vacancy. This would be an ideal way for an owner not on the board to pitch in and help expand our HOA’s services. If anyone has an interest, just approach any Board member.” <

Leaves still on your patio? Bag’em!

Year Round Landscaping’s task of getting up all the leaves that fall in our community is a tough job, made even tougher when owners blow their patio leaves out onto the common area.

If case you have forgotten the rule, leaves that accumulate in your flower beds, garden, or patio are the owner’s responsibility to dispose of, by bagging in clear bags for the bulk waste pickup or putting into your trash bin.

Nancy Allen, Landscaping Committee Chair, explains that YRL’s contract does not include picking up owners’ leaves. “They won’t pick them up,” she said, ”but they will report it to Abbitt. Please be considerate and dispose of them yourself.” 

Stratford Manor News Briefs

Officers, Committees elected—The Board elected its leadership for the new year,  including two new committee chairpersons. Betty Blackburn, who joined the Board earlier this year, was named chair of the Social and Welcome Committee, and Donna Groller was elected  chair of the Nominating Committee .  All other 2021 committee chairs and all 2021 officers were reelected for 2022.

In addition, Barbara Lucas, of 156 Wellesley,  was added to the Social and Welcome Committee and Richard  Wahlert, 120 Sloane, was reelected to the Infrastructure  Committee.

Fall tree work completed without a hitch-- R & K Tree Service, which replaced Squirrely Jack as our Association’s regular tree management contractor, completed its fall tree work earlier this month. Russ Kenwood, R & K’s owner, took down four diseased or damaged trees and trimmed branches on another dozen or so, at a total cost of $10,500.

“We received several positive comments from owners,” said Landscaping Committee Chair Nancy Allen. “Russ’s crew did a very professional job, including thoroughly cleaning up all work sites. And a big plus is that he is a certified arborist who gives us timely warning of any dangerous situations. We are very glad to partner with him.”

 Assessment payment notices mailed—Abbitt has mailed first-of-the-year assessment statements to all Strafford Manor owners, with a due date of Jan. 1. There is a 30-day grace period, so you have until January 31 to pay and avoid being hit with a $50 late fee.

Reminder: No curb parking allowed—Residents who had to move their cars to make way for infrastructure repairs were allowed to park on nearby curbs without fear of being towed. But some folks may have forgotten that it was only temporary. “I have seen an increase in the number of vehicles that park on the curb in my lot,” said Vice President Donna Groller, “and I worry about what might happen if an emergency vehicle has to make its way to a resident’s door.”

As Ms. Groller reminded us, SMA rules prohibit parking in areas outside of our assigned parking spaces, except for contractors or others making house calls—and only if they do not hinder traffic. “I would hate to see someone’s car towed,” she said. “So please remind your visitors that if you don’t have a space to lend them, they need to park on a nearby public street.”

Trash pickup Schedule*

 Dec.21—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; Dec. 28--Trash only.

Jan. 4-- Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; Jan. 11—Trash only;

 Jan. 19-- Recycling, bulk pickup & trash (Wednesday pickup due to holiday).  Jan. 25—Trash only.

Feb. 1---- Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; Feb. 8—Trash only; Feb. 15-- Recycling, bulk pickup & trash.

*Trash and recycling receptacles should be curbside no earlier than 3 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup. Bulk trash may be put out the weekend before the scheduled collection.

On behalf of all Board members, have a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends!

October/November 2021

President’s Corner  

Thanks to an additional neighborhood signing event in September, the number of owner votes for the SMA Board’s proposed new Declaration, our main governing document, has risen to 71, some 30 votes short of the necessary 101 signatures.

“It’s been a slow process,” said Donna Groller, “but we remain confident that we will reach our goal.” She said a personalized mailing went to absentee owners in early October, and a similar mailing is planned for homeowners who live in the community. Why is it taking so long? We were told in the beginning to expect this effort to take a long time, because membership in any HOA includes owners who are apathetic, indifferent, or even distrustful of anything the HOA wants to do.

That’s human nature, I suppose, but those of us who have spent countless hours working on getting the required votes do feel a frustration that’s hard to accept. Some owners complained that the draft of the document we are trying to get approved looked messy and confusing because of the “strike-throughs” (to show what was coming out of the old document) and italicized sections (to show what was being inserted).  

So we took out those marks and font changes and started handing out a finished-looking document. Then we received complaints that it was too hard to read; “It looks too legal”.

The reality is: it looks legal because it is legal, in a format dictated by State law and court decisions. As we explain to those who ask, it is designed to bring the original governing document into the 21^st century and give back to the Association its ability to maintain standards owners expect in a well-run HOA. These are rules that make life safer and less stressful for residents, while protecting everyone’s property values.

With close to 340,000 HOAs governing 20 percent of America’s residential buildings, it’s not surprising that many people have heard or experienced horror stories about poorly run HOAs—those that are little more than a vehicle for petty grievances and tyrannical policies.

But I contend that you should judge Stratford Manor’s HOA on your own experiences with it, not on what some other HOAs have done. A good, well-run HOA can be a huge benefit to owners in the community, and I would stand ours up against any other HOA in terms of its fairness, transparency, and professionalism.

 I am completing my fourth year as president of the Association (and plan to continue—God willing—for the foreseeable future), so I think it’s fair to look at our actions in recent years and decide for yourself whether you approve of what we are doing to help improve the community. If you have faith in our integrity and good intentions, then you should vote for the new governing document so we can move on to more important issues facing our community. If you don’t have that trust, then we are destined to face some hard times ahead.

 

                                                                                                                    -- John Gullett, President

Repaving work finally scheduled

The SMA Board received some good news at its October 13 meeting: Basic Construction Co. plans to come to Stratford Manor in the last week in October to start the project to repave  all of our roads and parking lots.

“We now have a starting date, but we don’t have the detailed plan yet,” said Bob Lucas, Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee. “But we are excited to know that the paving should be done before winter sets in.”

Lucas explained that the logistics of clearing out vehicles in areas targeted for the work will be challenging, and will depend on the full cooperation of all residents.

“Based on our good experience with the curb and sidewalk repairs, I am optimistic about getting this done without any major problems,” he said. He also noted that some tree limbs may need to be cut in a few areas, to allow clearance for some of Basic’s equipment.

As with the recent curb and sidewalk work, committee members and others will be notifying affected owners prior to the scheduled start date for work on their section of the community.  “Our goal is to minimize the disruption to owners,” he said, “ but it’s never easy to ask people to give up their parking spaces for days at a time.”  

Once the repaving is completed, parking stripes and numbers will be repainted. The Committee is currently developing a master list of all assigned spaces to ensure they are numbered properly.

Annual Owners Meeting to be virtual

Due to lingering health concerns, The SMA Board voted at its regular October meeting to conduct November’s Annual Owners Meeting via Zoom. “We struggled with this decision”, said President John Gullett, “knowing many people look forward to gathering in person at these annual events. But until the risks associated with the coronavirus and its variants subside, we just don’t feel comfortable holding an in-person meeting. Plus, if we held it in-person everyone would have to wear a mask for the entire meeting.”

Mr. Gullett noted the Board continues to hold its regular meetings via Zoom, a popular videoconferencing link, and that some owners prefer utilizing this mechanism to attend these sessions as observers.

“The good news,” he said,  “is that, unlike one year ago when we had to hold a two-part Annual Owners Meeting via Zoom, this time around we can take care of all of our business in one session. That’s thanks to a resolution the Board approved at its Oct. 13 gathering that allows us to hold virtual meetings .” He added that he expects this option to be used only sparingly in normal times.

Mr. Gullett said the owners meeting—scheduled for 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 17-- is expected to be fairly routine, with the election of four directors a high point. “But homeowners also will have an opportunity to ask questions and make comments,” he said, “and we look forward to hearing what they are going to say.”

Detailed information about the meeting will be mailed to homeowners in early November.

Four Board seats will be on the ballot on Nov. 17

A total of four seats on the Stratford Manor Homeowners’ Association will be filled by owners at their Annual  Owners Meeting next month, with three current Board members seeking reelection. The fourth seat, currently held by Katie Johnston, will be open when her three-year term expires next month. Ms. Johnston recently moved out of Stratford Manor.

“We are fortunate to have a highly qualified slate of nominees for these seats,” said Linda White, Chairperson of the Nominating Committee. Treasurer Bob Lucas and Landscape Committee Chairperson Nancy Allen are running for reelection. Director Betty Blackburn, who was appointed to the Board in August when a seat was unexpectedly vacated, is running for election to the two years remaining on her seat’s term.

Under Association rules, additional nominations may be made from the “floor” at the virtual meeting, which will be held via Zoom.

“I am delighted to report that we have an outstanding candidate for Katie’s seat,” said Ms. White. “Madoline Wallace, of 143 Wellesley Dr., recently retired from a distinguished 25-year career as  a mortgage loan underwriter, and has experience serving on the vestries of two local churches and on the boards of two local community theaters.”

Ms. Wallace said she feels that “the Board is heading in the right direction, and I would like to help. This will also give me a good chance to get to know more of my neighbors.”<

Stratford Manor News Briefs

Landscaping crew launches fall prep—YRL, the Association’s landscaping service, is in full fall preparation mode these days, aerating grounds in the common areas, seeding, and fertilizing—all while trying to keep up with falling tree branches and other debris.

Nancy Allen, Chairperson of the Landscaping Committee, said YRL’s work is ongoing. “If you see them aerating in other areas but not near you,” she said, “please be patient. They have to clear debris before running their aerating machine over the ground, and sometimes they have to skip some areas to keep up with the total job. But they will be back.”

Ms. Allen said the landscapers will focus later on getting up the falling leaves, with a total of four big collections  scheduled between November and January.

“But please remember,” she said, “that owners are responsible for picking up leaves that are on their patios.  When you blow your leaves out onto the common area, you are interfering with the landscaper’s very methodical approach to cleaning our community.” It’s also against Association rules to dump leaves from patios or flower beds into the common area, she added.<

***

 No dues increase in 2022—The SMA Board has approved the Association’s 2022 budget without an increase in owner assessments. “We really didn’t even consider raising dues,” said President John Gullett, “even though we do expect inflation to increase our expenses next year. We know many owners are still struggling with the impact of the pandemic.“ He said the new  budget will be made public to owners at the upcoming Annual Owners Meeting.

 ***

How was curb and sidewalk work selected?—The curb and sidewalk repairs that began in September and wrapped up in mid-October were a familiar and reassuring sight for most of us. But when the dust settled, some were asking: “Why wasn’t the curb (or sidewalk) in front of my place fixed?”

“The answer is complicated,” said Bob Lucas, Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee. “First, the areas to be repaired were selected by TAM Engineering, who is serving as the SMA’s general contractor for this work and the repaving.  They  based their decisions on whether the damages were considered tripping hazards or if  they affected the structural soundness of the curb or sidewalk section. If the damage was merely a crack, it didn’t qualify.

 “Fixing all the cracks would not be economically feasible”, he said. He added that the committee will be conducting an inspection of all the work, to make sure nothing was overlooked.

***

Trash Pickup Schedule 

Oct. 26—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

Nov. 2— Trash only

Nov. 9—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

Nov. 16— Trash only

Nov. 23— Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

Nov. 30— Trash only

Dec. 7— Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

Dec. 14-- Trash only
Dec. 21—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

Dec. 28—Trash only

 If your container was missed during collection, call 757-933-2311 within 24 hours. 

Trash and recycling receptacles should be curbside no earlier than 3 p.m. on day before scheduled collection day and removed from the street by the morning after collections.

Bulk trash, which is collected on the same schedule as recycling, may be put out the weekend before scheduled collection.

August/September 2021

Contracts awarded for repaving and curb and sidewalk repairs

Good news for Stratford Manor owners: After extensive studies and exploration, work will begin soon on repaving the community’s roads and parking lots, along with sidewalk and curb repairs.

The Infrastructure Maintenance Committee, headed by John (Bob) Lucas, has been working for months with TAM, the engineering company hired by the SMA Board to help with this major work. At its August 11 meeting the Board officially accepted the recommendations of both TAM and the Committee to award contracts to Basic Construction Co. for the repaving and curb repairs, and Concrete Jack for the sidewalk repairs. Both are Virginia companies.

There is no current timetable for doing the work. but Mr. Lucas said he is hopeful that the sidewalk repairs will be done by September. He said we are likely to see the repaving work start within the next several weeks.

The costs associated with this infrastructure work are high. The sidewalk repairs are expected to cost $32,000 or more. Repaving and curb repairs will cost roughly $261,000.

“This will be a major blow to our reserves,” said President John Gullett. “Fortunately, we have enough to cover the costs as currently estimated.” He said many Associations spending this amount would impose special assessments on their members. “We do not see this happening here.

“That’s because our Board and its predecessors set aside funds each year for this inevitable expense.” He added that the Committee recommended postponing any immediate replacement of the community’s perimeter fencing, in part due to the currently high price of lumber.

The Committee is now focusing on how to minimize the disruption to our community’s routine during construction. Mr. Lucas said the primary concern is how to handle the parking.

“We will be notifying owners as far in advance as the contractors let us,” he said, “through emails, flyers, and other means. This will be essential to keeping our costs down, because if there are any cars in the way when the work crews are ready to start, our Association will be hit with a severe fine.”

He added that if any owners leave their vehicles in the way after being alerted, the Association will have no choice but to have those vehicles towed.

Betty Blackburn joins SMA Board,  to help "keep the magic of Stratford Manor"

Betty Blackburn, a two-year resident of Stratford Manor, has already been volunteering her time to support the current signing campaign for the Association’s proposed new Declaration. But she wanted to do more to help the community that has become her favorite place to live. So when a vacancy arose, she accepted an invitation to join the SMA Board—an action that became reality at the Board’s Aug. 11 meeting.

Ms. Blackburn was appointed to fill the remaining term of Satori Gregorakis, who resigned in early August. “We are indebted to Mr. Gregorakis for his three-plus years of service on the Board,” said President John Gullett. “He was successful as chairman of the Architectural Control Committee and he recently created a handy, comprehensive Exterior Painting Guide, which owners can access on our website.”

Mr. Gullett added that the Board was extremely fortunate to have Ms. Blackburn come forward and become a Director. “Betty told us she loves the beauty of our community and wants to help us keep it that way.” Ms. Blackburn was a lab technician for Riverside Hospital for 34 years before retiring.

She moved into Stratford Manor after a friend urged her to check it out. “She told me that this was a quiet but conveniently located community  that is well kept,” said Ms. Blackburn. “When I pulled in here for the first time,  I knew she was right,” she added. “I am looking for forward to working with other members of the Board to help keep it that way.”

At that same Aug. 11 meeting,  Mr. Gullett was appointed interim chairman of the Architectural Control Committee, and Secretary Fran Hodges was added to the Committee. “Fran will be our point person on issues in the Sloane neighborhood, giving us excellent coverage of the community,,” said Mr. Gullett.

More than 60 owners have approved SMA’s new Governing document; Campaign extended to reach goal

The SMA Board heard some encouraging words at its Aug. 11 meeting about the campaign to achieve owner approval of a proposed new Amended and Restated Declaration. That updated core governing document, deemed necessary to allow the Board to utilize its traditional tools to manage the Stratford Manor community, had received more than 60 owner votes as of Aug. 11. 

Donna Groller, Chairperson of the Governing Documents Committee, said most of the votes have come through the staging of three signing events over the past several weeks. “And we are going to keep the ball rolling until we reach our goal,” she added. A total of 101 votes is needed.

Ms. Groller stressed that the proposed new Declaration is intended solely to conform to Virginia law and court decisions that have made our current governing document obsolete. “Without the approval of our owners to change this Declaration, the Association will be unable to fulfill its fiduciary responsibility to protect the interests of our owners.”

“This is necessary if we want to keep our community beautiful and protect everyone’s investments,” she said. “Committee members have gone door to door to speak with homeowners,  to answer any questions and tell them about the next signing opportunity. Once we explain why we need to update our core document, most owners are ready to approve it.

“It’s just a matter of getting the word out and assuring owners that we simply want to restore the ability to utilize our previous rules and regulations,” she added. “Contrary to allegations coming from those who oppose this resolution, we have no intention of  creating new rules or raising assessment fees.”

Owners have been provided with copies of the proposed new document, as well as a printed form for voting. “The challenge is in getting those votes notarized,” said Ms. Groller. “For the convenience of owners, we have been providing a notary public at our signing events, but owners can opt to take the form to their bank or place of employment and get it notarized there instead.”

The Committee was expected to meet during the week of Aug. 16 to plan its next steps in the ongoing campaign.

President’s Corner

 As made clear in this edition of our community newsletter, your Homeowner’s Association is at a critical period in its history—one that every Stratford Manor owner can help the Board get through in a successful way. Board committees are putting in overtime to face major challenges; something they probably didn’t envision would happen during their term of volunteerism in Stratford Manor.

With age comes maturity, but also wear and tear. That’s the only way I can  explain why so many elements of our infrastructure are in dire need of repair. Based on our Replacement Reserves study, we knew that we needed to address this issue immediately. That’s why, early last year, we created the Infrastructure Replacement/Repair Committee. 

That Committee, headed by Board member Bob Lucas, utilized the knowledge of an engineering firm to help them drill deep down into the details of a workable plan. We owe that Committee, which includes owner Richard Wahlert and Board member Nancy Allen, our gratitude for doing what was necessary to bring us to the point where we signed contracts for work that will begin soon. More importantly, we all can help by following advices on when to move our cars so the work can be done. (See story on Page 1).

A second group of Board members, comprising the Governing Documents Committee, has spent the last several months working on the development and passage of a proposed Amended and Restated Declaration. This committee, including Chairperson Donna Groller, Ms. Allen, Fran Hodges, and Linda White, has been conducting a campaign to get votes for the new Declaration in a tireless effort of signing events, mailings, and door-to-door talks with owners. (See story on Page 3).

A small group of owners seems determined to avoid allowing your HOA to restore the authority it needs to properly manage the community. When you speak with your neighbors, you can help by asking them if they have stepped forward to vote for this resolution.

The bottom line is, we have no choice but to pass this resolution if we want to preserve this jewel of a community. We are all in this together. Please help when you can.<

                                                                                                                             --John Gullett, President

Stratford Manor Briefs

Landscaping Service goes to war against fungus, moles and voles—YRL, the SMA’s landscaping service, has launched an attack on a fungus that it is endangering the community’s Nandina shrubs and other plants. At the same time, YRL is attempting to eliminate the problem of moles and voles attacking plantings in the common areas. Landscaping Chair Nancy Allen said the one-time fungus spraying will be done this month, while the mole/vole treatment, in granular form, will be applied over a three-month period. Ms. Allen also reported that the common areas will be aerated, fertilized and seeded at the end of September, and that R & K Tree Service will make an inspection of the tree population for its annual trimming when the leaves turn later in the fall.

 Dog days of summer  (By Stratford Manor owner Frances Hodges) --When walking your pets, they should be leashed and not allowed to run loose on the property.  Pets should not be allowed to walk, urinate, or defecate on the shrubs in the common areas nor on the private property of other homeowners.  Pet owners should IMMEDIATELY clean up after pets defecating in the common areas.  There are two “doggie” stations within SMA for your convenience.  If you let your pet “potty” in your backyard, be a kind neighbor and clean up after your pet.  Proper disposal of pet waste (in bags) will help eliminate the smell and bugs.  We all want to enjoy being out in our backyards and no one wants to smell foul odors.  Be courteous! 

A reminder: You still need to get Association approval for new roof—Coincidentally, two separate homes in Stratford Manor were getting new roofs recently on the same day—and neither one had received Board approval. “Even if you are replacing your old roof with a new version of the same thing, you still need to get approval by submitting an Architectural Review Form (found on the SMA website),” said President John Gullett. “Some people make the mistake of assuming that as long as they plan to put on the same type and color of roof, they don’t need approval. But to protect the homeowner from making a costly mistake, we ask that they submit the application so the Board has the opportunity to intervene if the roofer has made an error.”  Once approval is granted, the owner can have the new roof installed without any fear of a mistake.

Trash Pick Up Schedule

August 24—Trash only

August 31—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

Sept. 8—Trash only (Wednesday pickup due to holiday).

Sept. 14—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

Sept. 21—Trash only; Sept. 28—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash.

Oct. 5—Trash only

Oct. 12—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash 

Oct. 19—Trash only 

Oct. 26—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

*Trash and recycling receptacles should be curbside no earlier than 3 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup.  Bulk trash may be put out the weekend before scheduled collection.

 

June/July 2021

President’s Corner

During a recent conversation, a homeowner expressed doubts about the need to adopt new governing documents that will restore the SMA’s eroded authority. He said it didn’t seem neighborly to give our HOA more power to enforce rules in our community.

It reminded me of a recent essay in the Wall Street Journal titled, “Welcome to Homeowners Hell”, which warned home buyers to avoid those evil HOAs. The writer’s experience was with condo boards, but many of her criticisms have been laid at the feet of all types of HOAs, including those for townhomes. Among other things, she said larger HOAs “mean more mercurial, invasive rules, up to and including those governing home paint colors, hedge height, the number of cars you may have, and when you have to put out and take in your garbage cans.”

Rules on taking out the garbage didn’t strike me as overly strict.  I intended to write a letter to the editor suggesting that the writer obviously had a poor understanding of the real damage that poorly run HOAs can do. But I got busy and failed to write. It didn’t matter. The following week the newspaper devoted a half-page section to letters from other readers, many of whom cited the benefits of well-managed HOAs.

Here’s one: “Drive into a nice, well-maintained suburban neighborhood and think, ‘I’d like to live here.’ But ask yourself why the neighborhood is so nice and you must come to grips with the existence of covenants and the HOA. “  Some rules are needed, the reader argued, or disorder occurs and your property values begin to decline.

My own brother told me, “Moving into an HOA community is the dumbest thing you could do.” When I became President some 3 ½ years ago, I feared that it was punishment for a misspent youth. But the more time I spent dealing with our Association’s issues, the more I realized that an HOA’s purpose isn’t to make rules to limit member activities. Its true purpose is to ensure that each resident can enjoy the community free from the disruptive or harmful behavior of others, while seeing their property values rise in a seller’s market.

I learned that developing rules for the sake of having rules is unnecessary. We must make sure that we are adopting policies that have a purpose; policies that are fair, reasonable, and enforceable.

I believe that’s what your current Board has been doing, but you be the judge. If you believe a rule fails the “reasonable” test, come before the Board and tell us why. We will listen to your complaint, and consider how we can improve the rule.  Better yet, run for a seat on the Board and work with us to make improvements where they are needed. We will need to fill at least one seat at November’s annual meeting, and so far no one has agreed to fill it.

We are always looking for new faces. Consider being one of them.

                                                                                                        --John Gullett, President

Bids sought for paving, curbs, etc.

The Infrastructure Maintenance Committee is currently seeking bids for road repaving and sidewalk and curb repairs, and hopes to award its first contract soon.

John (Bob) Lucas, chairman of the committee, said TAM, the engineering company hired by the SMA board to help with this major project, has completed development of the bid documents and is now contacting prospective contractors on the SMA’s behalf. “We have received a handful of bids,” said Mr. Lucas. “But we still need to get a few more so we can properly evaluate all of them.”

He said that the committee wants to get the curb and sidewalk work under way first, followed by the repaving. “Paving contractors won’t start their work until the curbs are repaired,” said Mr. Lucas. He noted that only the damaged or sinking portions of the curbing and sidewalks will be repaired, but the repaving will include all of the roads and parking lots.

To help avoid having to impose a special assessment on owners, replacing our perimeter fencing may have to wait, even though bids are being sought for that work as well. “We spent a lot on fence repairs over the past couple of years,” said President John Gullett.  “By getting another year or two out of our current fencing we can afford to go ahead with fixing the roads and parking lots, as well as repairing the sidewalks and curbs.”

Mr. Gullett noted that once the committee selects its preferred vendors, the full board will have an opportunity to review the proposals before authorizing any work.

Board asks owners to adopt new core document on rules

Owners in Stratford Manor are being asked to adopt a new Amended and Restated Declaration—the core legal document that allows the SMA to utilize a variety of tools used in prior years to manage our community. “The Declaration’s redraft was made necessary because our governing documents, which date back to the ‘80s, are out of date,” said SMA President John Gullett in a June 2 letter to owners.

“This new Declaration will bring us into compliance with current law,” Said Donna Groller, chair of the Governing Documents Committee, “but we need owners to approve its adoption before it can go into effect.  Until then, our only recourse in a dispute with any homeowner is to take them to court.”

The Committee is hosting a Saturday afternoon, June 19 outdoor event to collect owners’ ratification forms.  The signatures have to be notarized, and the committee has arranged to have a notary public on hand to handle this part of the voting, at no direct cost to owners. The event will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

To help board members explain this proposal, a question-and-answer document was developed. Below are excerpts from that document.

Questions and answers about updated Declaration

Q--Are other Associations going through this process?  Is it common?

A—It is very common for Associations that were founded back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, when HOAs were not regulated very well. Court decisions and new laws were issued over the years that imposed strict standards and discipline on all HOAs in Virginia. The Stratford Manor Association hasn’t been accused of any abuse of power, but our attorney informed us that our governing documents do not reflect current laws.  Adopting the Amended and Restated Declaration will bring us into compliance with those current laws.

Q--If this new Declaration is adopted by the Owners, what else needs to be done to bring our governing documents up to date?

A—there will still be some more legal work done on documents like the Bylaws.  But our attorney assures us that if this Declaration is adopted by the owners, the Board‘s ability to utilize the variety of tools we used in prior years to effectively manage our community will be restored.

Q--What will happen to Stratford Manor’s HOA if this doesn’t pass?

A—Then the Board will have only the lawsuit option for any dispute with a homeowner; that is, we would have to take them to court or simply allow the homeowner to win the dispute.  In short, we will not be in a position to enforce the standards our owners expect us to enforce. And our legal costs will rise substantially.

Q--Is there a time limit on when this resolution has to be approved?

A—There is no time limit on obtaining the necessary votes, but the longer the election remains open, the less likely enough votes will be obtained.

Q--Exactly how many owners have to approve this for it to pass?

A—We need 75 percent of the owners to approve it; that amounts to 101 units out of 134.

Q--Is there anything in the revised document that might make owners uncomfortable?

A—No. Stated simply, it’s a restoration of the authority we used to have; nothing more, nothing less.

Q—some owners think that this sounds too much like Big Government. Why can’t we just run our community in a neighborly way? If we all cooperate, there shouldn’t be any need for a powerful HOA.

A—I would submit to you that if we have any hope of upholding community standards, we need an HOA to manage the effort. And this Amended Declaration allows the Association to be more neighborly, if that’s the term we are talking about, by working with individual owners in  a confidential way to resolve any disputes. Without the new Declaration, our only option is to take the owner to court. That doesn’t seem very neighborly to me.

Stratford Manor Briefs

Spring inspections completed without a hitch—The annual exterior inspections conducted this spring went far better than last year, said Architectural Compliance Committee Chair Satori Gregorakis. He and committee member Linda White accompanied Abbitt’s inspector, and all of the inspections were completed in one day. “It helped that the inspector had the benefit of doing these same inspections last year,” said Mr. Gregorakis, “and that we had an improved inspection form. It also helped that most owners took last year’s inspections seriously and made needed repairs.” In 2020, 126 units (out of 129) were written up. This year, some 34 units passed without any marks, and only 20 had architectural violations—comprised mostly of mismatched colors on doors and shutters.

New tree service hired—Landscaping Chair Nancy Allen reports the owner of the SMA’s longtime tree service, Squirrely Jack, has retired. After a search, she came up with R & K Tree Service, owned by Russ Kenwood. Mr. Kenwood has already completed his first job for the Association—the removal of three large trees that were invading the foundation of a home. Ms. Allen also reports  that our YRL landscaping service has completed its spring mulching and has applied weed killer to get rid of the clover and other weeds. She also thanked owners Lorraine Winall, Betty Blackburn, and Sarah Krause for volunteering to water the annuals planted near the Stratford Manor signs.

Trash Pickup Schedule 

 

June 15--— Trash only

June 22—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

June 29— Trash only

July 7— Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

(Wednesday pickup due to holiday).

July 13— Trash only

July 20—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

July 27—Trash only

August 3--Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

August 10—Trash only

August 17—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

August 24—Trash only

August 31—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash

If your container was missed during collection, call 757-933-2311 within 24 hours.

Trash and recycling receptacles should be curbside no earlier than the evening before scheduled collection day and removed from the street by the morning after collections.

Bulk trash, which is collected on the same schedule as recycling, may be put out the weekend before scheduled collection.